Researchers have taken significant steps towards determining the mysterious causes of autism, with the discovery that two-thirds of autistic people have a genetic variant that influences how neurons connect with each other. An additional study found
a link between autism and small "mistakes" in another DNA segment involved with cell communication. Both reports add weight to the idea that autism is related to problems with the way brain cells connect [Los Angeles Times].
The two studies were made possible by improved technology that allowed researchers to compare the genomes of thousands of autistic people to those of thousands of people without the disorder, looking for genetic differences between the two groups.
Previous studies that have identified several genes that are implicated in autism, but ... they are extremely rare and account for a very small proportion of autism [New Scientist]
. The twostudies, both published online by Nature, won't lead ...
